Rivera lifts Padres past Brewers 3-2 in 10 innings

Rivera tied the game with a home run in the ninth inning, then won it with an RBI single in the 10th as San Diego beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 Wednesday night.

''It was a fastball down the middle,'' Rivera said about game-tying homer off Francisco Rodriguez. ''It was 2-0 count so he got to throw strikes. And I just put the barrel of the ball on it and tried to get on base.''

He did more than that as he opened the ninth inning with his ninth homer to tie the score 2-2.

In the 10th, Seth Smith walked and Yasmani Grandal singled to start the inning against Zach Duke (4-1). Smith was thrown out at third on a fielder's choice and, one out later, Rivera singled to center to drive in Grandal from second.

''I just try to get something up in the strike zone and then I just try to hit it,'' Rivera said.

The Brewers took a 2-0 led in the seventh inning. Lyle Overbay opened with a single and Elian Herrera doubled down the first-base line. Right fielder Will Venable fielded the ball cleanly, but he one-hopped his throw to Jedd Gyorko, who made an off-balanced relay that Overbay just beat at home.

Herrera moved to third on the play and scored on Rivera's passed ball.

It was about thing only Rivera did wrong all night.

''That stuff happens,'' he said. ''It's good to come back and get the home run tonight and the walk-off in the 10th to help win the game.''

Jake Goebbert's RBI single in the bottom of the inning pulled the Padres to 2-1.

Right after Rivera's tying homer, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was tossed out of the game by plate umpire Mark Ripperger for arguing about the first two pitches that were called balls.

''That's the same umpire that we've had before and he is terrible behind home plate,'' Roenicke said. ''He calls pitches that aren't even close. The catcher sets up 6 inches off the plate and he calls them strikes.''

Both starters were efficient. Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo gave up three hits and three walks in six scoreless innings. Despaigne gave up two runs and six hits with a career-high nine strikeouts in seven innings.

The Brewers had a chance in the fifth when Overby opened with a ground-rule double and took third on Herrera's single. Gallardo was unsuccessful on a safety squeeze, although he advanced Herrera to second with his bunt.

The Padres also had runners on bases in the fifth. Grandal singled and reached third when Gyorko singled and Ryan Braun mishandled it in right field. Venable followed with a fly to medium left field, but Grandal held at third.

Rivera then grounded to third and Grandal broke for the plate, where he was easily thrown out by Aramis Ramirez. Alexi Amarista walked, but Despaigne grounded out to end the rally.

''We had them on the ropes numerous times but they would wiggle out of it,'' Black said. ''But we got the last wiggle.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: 1B Yonder Alonso will undergo season-ending surgery on Friday to repair a torn tendon in his right forearm. ... SS Everth Cabrera (strained left hamstring) continues to increase his pregame work and could be sent out on a rehabilitation assignment this weekend.

Brewers: RHP Matt Garza (strained left oblique) felt fine after Tuesday's bullpen session and will pitch in a simulated game on Friday. Depending on how that goes, he could join the rotation for the Cubs series which starts on Monday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta (15-8, 3.56 ERA) faces Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong (7-9, 3.78) when Milwaukee opens a three-game series in San Francisco on Friday. Peralta is 2-0 in three career starts against the Giants.

Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-6, 2.43) goes against Dodgers RHP Dan Haren (11-10, 4.44). Cashner is making his second appearance since coming off the DL with a sore right shoulder.

THIS BUD'S NOT FOR YOU

After the Padres christened an area of Petco Park the Selig Hall of Fame Plaza, in honor of retiring baseball commissioner Bud Selig, the community reaction was overwhelming negative. Many Padres fans associate Selig with contributing to the upheaval in the front office, when he gave his blessing in 2009 to Jeff Moorad purchasing the club on a layaway plan that never materialized.

NO 40 FOR NO. 57

Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez blew his fifth save in 44 chances, keeping him at 39 saves on the season. Rodriguez has reached 40 saves four times in his career. He did record one strikeout, the 1,000th of his career.

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